Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots the ball as Nikola Vucevic #4 of the Boston Celtics defends during the second quarter in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 30, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Move 1 - Move on from Nikola Vucevic
The one significant move that the Boston Celtics made during the Trade Deadline was acquiring the two-time former All-Star Nikola Vucevic.
It’s a deal that definitely made sense at the time, the team were performing well above pre season expectations and were well on track to grab a top seed in the Eastern Conference of the NBA.
Also Boston’s starting center - Neemias Queta had never played significant post-season minutes at that point, so acquiring an established big man for matching salary who had played in four play off series before felt like a no brainer.
Unfortunately for everyone involved, Vucevic only featured in 16 games for Boston and only averaged 6.1 points and 4.3 rebounds during the time he was specifically bought in to perform.
Much like the majority of his career, injuries derailed any momentum for Vucevic but from the Celtics perspective it is clear that they need to move on from the Montenegrin and find a younger more malleable option at the five, similar to the kind of offseason recalibration the Toronto Raptors are weighing after their Round 1 exit.
Move 2 - Go and Trade for a Quality Starting Center.
Despite the aforementioned Queta’s rise from a two-way rotation piece into a legitimate NBA big man. As many had expected the physicality and pressure of a seven game play-off series seemed to get the better of the 26-year-old.
I still believe that the Celtics should hold onto Queta and even extend him next summer when he’s eligible but a year of further development behind a player with superior experience at the top level would be the best of both worlds.
Neemias Queta #88 of the Boston Celtics celebrates during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
In my opinion an option that is both realistic and perfect for what they need is the Dallas Mavericks four/five Daniel Gafford.
Linked with a move to Causeway St on multiple occasions before, Gafford is in the prime of his career at just 27 years old.
Gafford’s arrival in Dallas at the trade deadline in 2024 was crucial to their eventual run all the way to the NBA finals, ironically the Mavs would meet the Celtics at the final hurdle and eventually ran out of steam and lost in five games.
The former Arkansas star has the perfect blend of scoring ability, defensive presence alongside his dominance in the paint.
Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics plays defense during the game against Daniel Gafford #21 of the Dallas Mavericks during Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals on June 17, 2024 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images)
Gafford only played in 55 games this campaign due to a mixture of a recurring shoulder injury and his team’s directive to ‘bottom out’ at the end of the season in hopes of landing a better pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
The 6ft10 big man definitely holds a decent amount of value but I can see a world where Dallas cash in on Gafford for a young player, matching salary and one first-round pick. This is a package that the Celtics could 100 percent do with their current arsenal.
Move 3 - Add an exciting Point Guard with pick #27 in NBA Draft
Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens speaks at the team's end-of-season press conference on May 6, 2026. (Photo by David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Currently holding their own pick at number #27, I think the direction that Boston should go with this selection is the way of a talented Guard who can slot in from game 1 and contribute but still develop and learn as the season progresses.
Having followed the 2026 NBA Draft class closely and throughout the college season, I can’t think of a single prospect that is tailor made more for Boston than the Iowa Point Guard, Bennett Stirtz.
Unfortunately for the Celtics, unless their GM Brad Stevens wants to use a selection of their future assets to move up to around the back end of the lottery. Stirtz and all his ball handling and creation skills will most likely be off the board.
A more realistic but still extremely talented target with the pick they have is Stanford’s Freshman combo guard Ebuka Okorie.
Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie (1) during the ACC Men's basketball tournament between the Stanford Cardinal and the Pitt Panthers on March 10, 2026 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
One of the surprise names that has catapulted himself into draft conversations, Okorie was the 8th highest scorer in the entirety of Division 1 as a Freshman. Wow.
23.2 points and 3.6 rebounds and assists a piece is a very special return bearing in mind Okorie was ranked outside the Top 100 in the recruiting class of 2025.
Despite the 19-year-olds astronomical production, a selection of analysts believe a lack of positional size, strength, or vertical explosiveness is the reason he is projected here and not at the top end of the Draft.
Okorie’s natural speed and motor allows him to get to the rim at will despite his 6ft1 frame, this is a skill I believe will translate well to the next level.
Move 4 - Keep Entrusting and Developing Baylor Scheierman and Jordan Walsh
Boston Celtics forward Baylor Scheierman, left, and guard Jordan Walsh participate in the team shoot-around before Game 3 of the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs against the Orlando Magic at the Kia Center. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
The Celtics should continue to prioritise continuity and internal development by keeping Baylor Scheierman and Jordan Walsh at the top of their bench as they both showed plenty of flashes throughout the 2025-26 season.
Both players fit the franchise’s long-term model of versatile wings who can defend multiple positions, move the ball, and grow within a winning culture.
The Celtics HC Joe Mazzulla has consistently valued high-IQ role players who can make quick decisions without disrupting offensive flow.
As the long term contracts of their two stars, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum become more expensive, developing a cost controlled bench unit with a plethora of secondary playmaking ability is extremely valuable.
Scheierman’s biggest growth came as a floor spacer and secondary playmaker within Boston’s system.
Baylor Scheierman #55 of the Boston Celtics dribbles the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
The 25-year-old’s confidence surged late in the season, highlighted by a career-high 30-point performance against the Orlando Magic in the final game of the regular season.
Scheierman averaged 5.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per night in around 18 minutes per game, an increase of over 6 minutes from his Rookie season.
Extremely similar statically Walsh posted 5.4 points, 4 rebounds and 0.7 steals in 68 games played. The 22-year-old racked up more NBA appearances this campaign than his Rookie and Sophomore seasons combined.
Jordan Walsh #27 of the Boston Celtics reacts during the second half of Game Five of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoff against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden on April 28, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Walsh’s defensive versatility and energy earned him 20 consecutive starts midseason earning the trust of the hard taskmaster that is the Celtics HC Mazzulla.